Defending The NYC Sanitation Department

Mayor Bloomberg and NYC Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty took to the airways this morning to reiterate their defenses of the department’s post-blizzard performance, which is now the subject of an investigation by Department of Investigations Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn.

Bloomberg did call the response “an embarrassment,” but also said the Sanitation Department did its best and should not be criticized. He stressed that if reports of a slowdown prove true, it will not be tolerated.

“I don’t know if it took place; if it did it was a disgrace,” Bloomberg insisted. “…If the laws were broken, (Gill Hearn) will take appropriate action. She is tough. Everybody knows that.”

“This is just a reminder that you can’t break the law. Mother nature is tough enough to deal with. We don’t always make the right decisions. That’s tough enough. But deliberately not doing the job, particularly if you try to use it for political reasons…it’s an outrage and we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Bloomberg was quick to say that Doherty, a 50-year veteran public servant who has held his post through two administrations (Giuliani and Bloomberg), will be doing another three years in his job, adding: “He didn’t have to worry about that.”

Doherty said he’s a “little bit disappointed in some things,” but praised the men and women who worked “a lot of long hours,” saying they had done an “outstanding job” and he’s “proud of them.”

The commissioner said his employees are still working around the clock to clear bus stops, crosswalks and parking meters, which will go back on-line Monday (alternate side parking will remain suspended, however).

Some curtailed garbage pick-up will also resume Monday, according to Doherty, who urged NYC residents to dig out their trash to help things along.